Agenda item

To receive any verbal updates from Partners and Community Groups present, including:

·       Police – Neighbourhood Teams

To note the following written updates attached to the agenda:

a)    Police Warminster CPT/Mere & Tisbury

b)    Fire & Rescue

c)      Community Safety Group

d)    Health & Wellbeing Group

e)    NHS

f)      Healthwatch Wiltshire

The Board noted the written updates attached to the agenda and received verbal updates from:

Police - Inspector Pete Sparrow & Sergeant Kevin Harmsworth

Inspector Sparrow: 

There was no written update this time, however, happy to report the crime figures remained low and average in comparison to the same period for last year.

Road safety week – there would be a focus on speeding vehicles next week, with the Road Policing Unit active across Salisbury and Warminster areas.

Covid – this was creating demand on the service as the force continued to encourage people to stick to the rules and remain at home.

Questions:

·       How were the restrictions affecting policing? Answer: It was going relatively well, nationally there was a higher demand on the Police and due to legislation and people having to isolate, there were reduced staff numbers. So far, the effect on Wiltshire Officers had been low with the occasional team experiencing an issue.

·       I spoke to the PCSO in Mere, he would be retiring next March. We hope that the Police would be able to find a replacement of equal calibre as he has been extremely good in communicating with us. Answer: Kevin - Yes the PCSO there; Pete is a member of my local team, I have suggested that we may produce a certificate of recognition. 

·       We have been visited at our farm by a pickup with 2 men, which was scouting. When we appeared, they drove off. Could this behaviour be alerted to on the Neighbourhood alert, as the posts on there are not all related to crime? Answer: Pete – We do have an organised crime group that were known to steal from rural areas, we do target these individuals and will disrupt their attempts as much as possible. There was an incident a few weeks ago and we now have two individuals on remand. The communications on social media were not all written by Officers and yes some posts were more aimed at engaging the community  and getting the message out to a wider audience as possible.

·       Thanks to Inspector Sparrow in regard to the drug related incidents around Wilton. Part of the problem had been resolved, so thank you and your team, it is appreciated.

·        The volume of scams had risen hugely as well as cold calls during this covid time, what nationally was done about them? Answer: Pete – We advise people to report on scams and notify Action Fraud. The scams are usually national or international scams and not locally based. So there needs to be a national approach.

There was also an online reporting tool and phone number. An  additional layer of safety could be added to block these types of calls. If aware of any vulnerable people out there please do put them in touch with our neighbourhood teams.

Sergeant Kevin Harmsworth  

Within Mere there was a focus on Antisocial behaviour, and in Killmington. Police were helping to facilitate meetings with the family involved.

Community Speedwatch was on hold currently so as part of Road Safety week the known active areas would be supported with an increased police presence. A programme to deliver phase 2 training to volunteers through lockdown was in place and there had been a good uptake with additional new members starting.

Working with local schools and parents to highlight the dangers of knife crime, signposting people to relevant social media.

Covid related activities – some data on the website – increase in reported covid breaches, up from 34 to 124 in a matter of weeks. There was an online report function.

We also now run an ‘Adamo’ – a dedicated police vehicle with two officers who can be dispatched to a site when an incident of a covid related breach was reported.

Questions:

·       How wide an area do you cover in SWW? Answer: Kevin – where we have known CSW groups we would cover those and the major roads.

·       Would your visit include the south? We are the most southerly village and we see more Dorset police than Wiltshire police. Answer: I ask my teams to get out as far and wide as possible. We would come out in Road Safety week to reduce KSI.

·       There is an issue when you have been before because there is no signal for you. We have a huge mast outside at Rushmore park, why can’t you use that? Answer: That would need to be directed to the PCC.

Decision

The Board noted the updates and minutes from partners and working groups as attached to the agenda.

Community Safety Group – notes in the pack, detailed actions to be carried forward.

Cllr Deane noted that there has not been a CATG meeting since the last Area Board. He gave information relating to the traffic issues through Tollard Royal, as noted earlier by Richard Mitchell. A suggestion was to activate the use of a SID, which was powered by a solar panel. Cllr Deane noted that it did not store enough power to run the device fully. The Traffic Engineer had suggested a power supply be installed to the device, at a cost of £3200 and that CATG usually met to agree recommendations to be taken to the Board for approval.

He went on to say that as there has not been a meeting since the last board, he would like the Board to give a grant for up to £4000 to fund the work.

Cllr Wayman, noted that as this had been brought to Members in the middle of a Board meeting with no prior notification or supporting papers, he had not followed the standard procedure.

The Chairman also noted that as Cllr Deane was the Chair of CATG, he was able to schedule a meeting prior to the next Board meeting, where the issue could be looked at in line with protocol. Recommendations from that could then be brought to the next Area Board meeting for consideration by the Members.

Mr Mitchell confirmed that the issue was one that had been around for years  and that Tollard Royal parish council had been pleading for something to be done for some time.

The Chairman advised Mr Mitchell and Cllr Deane that the correct process was to set up a CATG meeting to consider the matter. If there was a case for urgency this could be investigated once an application form was submitted through the standard process.